Minerals
Prof. Dr
. Ziad
Abu-Hamatteh
Faculty of Engineering
T
echnology
Al
-
Balqa’
Applied University
The Crust of the Earth is
the source for
many minerals that are essential for
our
civilization
Quar
tz SiO
2
Olivine (Mg,Fe)
2
SiO
4
Fluorite CaF
2
Every
manufactured
product contains
materials
derived from
minerals
Most people are
familiar with
basic metals:
Al
in beverage
can
Cu
in electrical wires
Au
in Jewelry
Si
in computer chips
Realg
ar
Ber
y
l (aquamarine)
Pencils = graphite (C)
Baby powder Talc
Mg
3
(Si
2
O
5
)(OH)
4
Quartz is
a major
ingredient of
ordinary glass
(Na,Ca)(Fe,Mg,Al,Li)
3
Al
6
(BO
3
)
3
Si
6
O
18
(OH)
4
T
ourmaline
Rock: solid
mass of
mineral or
mineral like
matter that
occurs
naturally as
part of the
Earth
Crust
Whole Earth
Oxygen
46
.
3
%
29
.5%
Silicon
28
.2%
15
.2%
Aluminum
8.2%
1.1%
Ir
on
5.6%
34
.6%
Calcium
4.1%
1.1%
Sodium
2.4%
0.6%
Potassium
2.1%
0.1%
Magnesium
2.3%
12
.7%
T
itanium
0.5%
0.1%
Nickel
trace
2.4%
All others
trace
2.7%
Abundance of the elements (wt. %)
Any
naturally
occurring
inorganic
solid
that posses an
orderly crystalline
structur
e
and
a
definite chemical
composition
Geologists define a miner
al as:
Fig. 2.1
What is a mineral?
•
Occurs naturally
•
Is a solid
•
Definite
chemical
composition
•
Atoms arranged
in orderly pattern
May Be Elements or Compounds
•
Native
Minerals
–
Form uncombined in
nature
–
Au,
Ag, Cu, S, C
–
Gold, silver
, copper
,
sulfur
, diamond
•
Most are compounds
–
Form from
magma
–
Form as
evaporites
–
Changed
by heat,
pressure, or water
Silicates
•
90
% minerals
on Earth
–
Most common
•
Si, O, and
1
or more
metallic
ions
•
SiO
4
•
T
etrahedron shape
Identifying Minerals
•
Over
200
known
•
Can be
identified
fro
m
physical
properties
How can I
tell what
this is?
Identification Properties
•
COLOR
–
Least useful
–
Many have similar
colors
–
Other elements
may
change color
–
Beryl (emerald)
ïƒ
Colors of Quartz